The field of the invention generally relates to an electronic control for a refrigerator, and more particularly relates to apparatus and method for mounting the electronic control board in the door of a refrigerator.
Refrigerators have been made to include electronic controls. Generally, these controls have a microprocessor on a circuit control board with remote sensors such as door opening switches and thermal sensors that monitor the status of the refrigerator so as to provide a display of such as a warning to the homeowner. Further, some electronic controls provide for the inputting of electronic commands so as to alter the operating parameters of the refrigerator.
Commonly, prior art refrigerators that have electronic controls have mounted the control board and the visual display as part of or proximate with a through-the-door ice and water dispenser on the freezer door. This arrangement, however, has a number of disadvantages. First, because the through-the-door dispenser is at a height convenient for dispensing ice and water into a glass, it is generally below eye level for most operators, and this makes it difficult to read the electronic display. Second, because the low voltage electronic control panel is positioned adjacent to the high voltage components of the ice and water dispenser, it is subject to electrical interference. Third, if the electronic control is also to be used for refrigerator models that do not have a through-the-door dispenser, different assembly parts would be required for the different models. In other words, it would be desirable to have a mounting for an electronic control that could be used for all models so as to reduce the number of manufactured parts.